Kaikoura TC adds extra day to annual meeting
The annual Kaikoura Trotting Club meeting in October has changed to a two-day fixture.
Lower grade horses will be catered for on a six-race twilight programme on Sunday, October 30.
The next day, 10 races, featuring the $50,000 Kaikoura Cup, $50,000 New Zealand Yearling Sales Series Aged Pace and $30,000 South Bay Trotters’ Cup, will be held.
Club president Bob Rochford said ‘‘120 plus’’ horses can stay on course in yards and loose boxes. ‘‘There’ll be plenty of paddocks [nearby] available.’’
Harness Racing New Zealand came up with the idea of a two-day meeting and contacted the club in March.
Edward Rennell, who is the chief executive of Harness Racing NZ, said it was an opportunity for the Kaikoura club to have a festival of harness racing.
‘‘We believe it’s a winner, it’s something different,’’ Rennell said.
Rochford and his committee spoke to owners and trainers to get their views on having a second day.
‘‘We’ve done our homework. If it doesn’t work the first time, we’ll carry on and make it work,’’ Rochford said.
‘‘We’re a small community and everyone will benefit from the extra day – restaurants and petrol stations. All the motels are fully booked.’’
Melbourne owner Merv Butterworth hopes to have two horses in the Group II Kaikoura Cup after winning it last year and in 2014 with Arden Rooney.
Kerryn Manning, of Victoria, trained and drove Arden Rooney to win last year. Eight days later, they won the New Zealand Cup at Addington.
‘‘Kaikoura’s a fantastic place,’’ Butterworth said.
His Kaikoura Cup prospects are Itz Bettor To Win, raced from Manning’s stable, and Didjamakem Bolt, who is soon to rejoin Rolleston trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.
Didjamakem Bolt was jogged up by Ryal Bush trainer Brett Gray and is now being conditioned on a water walker at Brian Court’s Prebbleton property.
Gray is jogging Golden Goddess, Motu Premier and Motu Meteor for Butterworth.
Butterworth’s recent purchase, King Of The Roses (two wins), bought out of John Versteeg’s Irwell stable, will debut for Papakura trainer-driver Tony Herlihy at Alexandra Park on September 2. The Butterworth-owned Better Go Hurry (four wins) will also race at that meeting after transferring from Gray’s team to Herlihy.
Jimmy Mack, who gained a win and a second from two starts for Ryal Bush trainer-driver Peter Hunter last season, has also been bought by Butterworth.
Rochford is one of five who trains at the Kaikoura racecourse, others being Grant Anderson, Mark Smith, David Broadhurst and Barry Ford.